News Release _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Darren Rogers Senior Director, Communications & Media Services Churchill Downs Racetrack (502) 636-4461 (office) (502) 345-1030 (mobile) [email protected] IMPROVING FULSOME DEFEATS O BESOS IN GRADE III, $150,000 MATT WINN LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, May 29, 2021) – Juddmonte’s rapidly-improving homebred Fulsome collected his second straight stakes win as he overcame a sluggish start and rallied to defeat Kentucky Derby fifth-place finisher O Besos by 3 ¾ lengths in Saturday’s 24th running of the $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (Grade III) for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs. Fulsome clocked 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:42.88 under Florent Geroux, who rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox. Fulsome broke slow in the field of seven and was rated in last down the backstretch as Tampa Bay Derby winner Helium dictated the terms through fractions of :23.75, :48.69 and 1:13.26. O Besos tracked from fourth and pulled himself into contention with the leader around the final turn. When O Besos made his move, Fulsome quickly followed from the outside. The two appeared to be poised for a competitive stretch run but when they passed the final furlong marker together Fulsome took off and drew well clear for the win. “I was pretty confident he could take some dirt in his face and got him to relax early,” Geroux said. “I was just hoping they were going fast up front after the slow break. He was able to go past those horses easily to win.” The victory was worth $91,140 and improved Fulsome’s overall record to 7-4-1-0—$373,854. The 3-year-old is now perfect in three starts on dirt after running on turf in the first four starts of his career. Previously, Fulsome won the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes in Arkansas on May 1 by 1 ¼ lengths. “He had two solid works here at Churchill after winning the Oaklawn Stakes,” Cox said. “We were very confident in him by the way he was training. He got off a step slow but he really finished up fast today and was impressive doing so.” Fulsome returned $5.40, $2.80 and $2.40 as the 8-5 favorite. O Besos, ridden by Marcelino Pedroza Jr., returned $3 and $2.40 as the 9-5 second choice and finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Helium who paid $2.60 to show at odds of 5-2 under Julien Leparoux. Southern Passage was another half-length back in fourth, and was followed by Ready to Pounce, Game Day Play and Sittin On Go. Hello Hot Rod was scratched. Fulsome, a son of Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Flourish, was bred in Kentucky by his owners. The Matt Winn is named in honor of the famed Churchill Downs president that served as the driving force in the development of the Downs and his beloved Kentucky Derby. ********************************************************************************************************************* GAM’S MISSION WINS GRADE III, $150,000 REGRET WITH RESOLUTE RALLY Lazy F Ranch’s homebred Gam’s Mission rallied to defeat favored Spanish Loveaffair by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s 52nd running of the $150,000 Regret Stakes (Grade III) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs. Trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Adam Beschizza, Gam’s Mission covered the 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course rated “good” in 1:51.02. In the early stages of the race, Gam’s Mission’s stablemate Postnup and Spanish Loveaffair led the field of eight 3-year-old fillies through opening fractions of :24.55 and :49.56 with Gam’s Mission rating in fifth. Spanish Loveaffair put away Postnup on the final turn after six furlongs in 1:14.27. In the stretch, Flown drew even with Spanish Loveaffair as Gam’s Mission ranged into contention from the outside with a furlong to run. The eventual winner caught Spanish Loveaffair with her resolute rally inside the final yards and edged clear late. “I was pretty confident with her stepping up to this distance,” Beschizza said. “She seems to have a very nice kick. Since she broke her maiden she’s really started to put things together. We didn’t go quite fast but the pace was a little testing.” Gam’s Mission, the 6-1 fourth betting choice, rewarded her backers with payouts of $14.20, $5.80 and $3.80. Spanish Loveaffair, the 7-5 favorite ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $3.40 and $2.40 and Flown, under Ricardo Santana Jr., paid $3. Oyster Box was fourth and was followed by Barista, Munnyfor Ro, Line Dancing and Postnup. Saranya was scratched. With her victory worth $90,210 in the Regret, Gam’s Mission boosted her career earnings to $201,258 from a record of 3-1-0 in four starts. Gam’s Mission is a daughter of Noble Mission (GB) out of the War Pass mare Auntie Martha and was bred in Kentucky by her owner Cornelia G. Corbett, who races as Lazy F Ranch. -more- Stephen Foster Preview Day Stakes Recaps & Quotes Saturday, May 29, 2021 Page 2 of 5 The Regret honors the 1915 Kentucky Derby-winning filly. The next turf race at Churchill Downs for 3-year-old fillies is the $150,000 Tepin over one mile on Saturday, June 26. ********************************************************************************************************************* BANGO SWOOPS FIELD TO WIN $150,000 ARISTIDES Tamaroak Partners’ homebred colt Bango made a gallant stretch run after breaking slow to win Saturday’s 33rd running of the $150,000 Aristides (Listed) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Greg Foley and ridden by Marcelino Pedroza, Bango completed the six-furlong Aristides in 1:09.65. Edgemont Road set a swift early quarter-mile fraction in :21.53. Bango, who battled on the lead in the $500,000 Churchill Downs (GI) in his previous start, was ninth early after breaking slow. Following a half-mile in :44.97, Bango began his charge at the leaders. In deep stretch, Bango was able to hold off the fast-closing Long Range Toddy to win by a half-length. “After the first eighth mile, you didn’t want to be standing near me. I thought that was it,” Foley joked. “He broke very slow but he was able to settle and he made a really fast run around the pacesetters. He absolutely loves Churchill Downs and I’m hoping we can get him into another race here before the meet is over.” Bango was the 4-1 third choice in the Aristides and paid $10.60, $6.40 and $4.40. Long Range Toddy, under Jon Court, paid $16.80 and $10.20. Sir Alfred James, who broke on top of the field but tracked just off the early fractions, finished third with jockey Colby Hernandez in the irons and returned $4.40. Mojo Man, Tough Love, Royal Daaher, Empire of Gold, Haunt, 5-2 favorite Tap It to Win and Edgemont Road completed the running order. Bango improved his record to 17-6-1-1 with stout purse earnings of $393,557. Saturday’s Aristides win was his fifth from eight starts at Churchill Downs. The Aristides is named in honor of the inaugural Kentucky Derby winner of 1875. The next sprint for older horses at Churchill Downs is the $100,000 Kelly’s Landing Overnight Stakes at seven furlongs on Friday, June 25. ********************************************************************************************************************* MIGHTY HEART PREVAILS IN $150,000 BLAME THRILLER Lawrence Cordes’ homebred Mighty Heart, the second longest shot in the field of six older horses at odds of 9-1, emerged as the nose winner in a three-horse photo with 3-2 favorite Night Ops and 9-5 second choice Sprawl in Saturday’s second running of the $150,000 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. Trained by Josie Carroll and ridden by James Graham, Mighty Heart covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.00. American Dubai broke alertly and led the field through soft early fractions of :24.32, :49.07 and 1:13.71 with Mighty Heart in close pursuit and Sprawl just behind those two. After racing near the back, Night Ops commenced a wide rally on the far turn as American Dubai kicked clear to a 1 ½-length advantage. Inside the final sixteenth of a mile, American Dubai was weary and began to fade as Mighty Heart charged between Night Ops, who was on the outside, and Sprawl, who was inside. The trio hit the wire together with Mighty Heart a nose victor over Night Ops and Sprawl another head back in third. American Dubai finished another two lengths back in fourth. “He’s got a big heart that goes with his name,” Graham said. “He’s a very tough individual. Every time he had a horse that came alongside of him in deep stretch he wanted to stick his neck out to make sure he was still in front. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to ride such a gutsy horse like this.” The victory was worth $92,070 and increased Mighty Heart’s bankroll to $797,759 with a record of 4-0-2 in 10 starts. Last year as a 3-year-old, Mighty Heart won the $760,633 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine and $299,163 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. Mighty Heart returned $21.40, $7.20 and $3.60. Night Ops, ridden by Florent Geroux, paid $3 and $2.10.